Typing Speed Calculator Formula

Understand the math behind the typing speed calculator. Each variable explained with a worked example.

Formulas Used

Gross WPM

gross_wpm = total_words / minutes_spent

Net WPM (Adjusted)

net_wpm = (total_words - errors) / minutes_spent

Accuracy

accuracy = (total_words - errors) / total_words * 100

Variables

VariableDescriptionDefault
total_wordsTotal Words Typed250
minutes_spentTime Spent(min)5
errorsErrors Made8

How It Works

How Typing Speed Is Measured

Typing speed is measured in words per minute (WPM). Net WPM subtracts errors for a more accurate measure of productive speed.

Formula

Gross WPM = Total Words / Minutes

Net WPM = (Total Words - Errors) / Minutes

Accuracy = (Total Words - Errors) / Total Words x 100%

Worked Example

You typed 250 words in 5 minutes with 8 errors.

total_words = 250minutes_spent = 5errors = 8
  1. 01Gross WPM = 250 / 5 = 50 WPM
  2. 02Net WPM = (250 - 8) / 5 = 48 WPM
  3. 03Accuracy = 242 / 250 x 100 = 96.8%

Ready to run the numbers?

Open Typing Speed Calculator